A blog to discuss my many wargaming projects.
How many, you ask?
Too many.
And I'm adding more
all the time.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Frostgrave Campaign- Game 3

We met this past Saturday for the third game in our Frostgrave campaign. We were fortunate to have all seven of our players available, so it promised to be an interesting outing. Because of there going to be seven warbands in play, I set up the table in a 10' x 3' configuration. We had planned after the last game that this time we would incorporate two of the scenarios from the main rulebook in to this game: the Haunted Houses and the Well of Dreams and Sorrows. We had decided that because we would be having seven players, that we would use 12 huts, and 2 wells. I hadn't considered this decision throughly, as I didn't realize until someone mentioned at the start of the game that the Wraiths dwelling in the huts could only be damaged with magic weapons, which at this point in the campaign, no one was wielding.
You can read about Game 1 and Game 2, but clicking the links.
For a report on the following game, see: Game 4

A look at the whole table at the start of the game. I set up in the lower left seciton.

My Illusionist Kodak, and his Apprentice Cherowyn were happy to be exploring a different section of the city this time rather than the docks as they had done on their past two forays. The docks had not been a lucky area for them; so with the change of locations, they were hoping for a change in their fortunes. Rumors of a magical fountain in the area intrigued them, while the talk of haunted dwellings in this neighborhood had them a bit wary.

My warband prepares to head out. On the left, the Wizard Kodak,with the Templar Elessa by his side, peers towards one of the Wells of Dreams and Sorrows; as the thief Cadwalleter, and the new Marksman Danlin, stand nearby, In the center, Cherowyn speaks words of encouragement to the archers Edel, and Weiss, and the thief Linnese. While on the far right, Jack-2 the treasure hunter, Agamemnon the thief, and Bash the thug prepare to move out.

Kodak immediately cast Invisibility on himself so he could make his way to the nearest well to drink without worrying about being attacked, with the Templar, Elessa, and the Marksman, Danlin following him at first. Cherowyn led her small command of the two archers, and the thief, Linnese, forward; then the Apprentice teleported to a ruined tower on a nearby hill where she had spotted a treasure. She fumbled the spell a bit and only a force of will costing her three health points allowed her to make it to the top of the ruin. The rest of the warband advanced; and the Thief, Cadwalleter, figuring his chances of actually encountering a wraith to be pretty slim, (Need to roll greater than 16 on a d20.), entered a nearby hut to grab the treasure. Much to his dismay a ghostly form materialized, and lunged toward him. Quick work with his dagger forced the creature back, but the thief knew he was well outmatched. The next turn he fled the cabin.

Misfortune from the start. The thief Cadwalleter steps into an abandoned house only to find it really is haunted!

Meanwhile Danlin had spotted the Apprentice of an Elementalist nearby, and took position near a statue and fired his crossbow, striking the Apprentice in the thigh, and badly wounding her. The Apprentice, in her next activation, turned and fired an elemental bolt at the marksman incapacitating him instantly. Cherowyn was not faring much better, as her high perch made her an easy target for the band of a Necromancer entering the city from the opposite direction from my Illusionist's. She had hoped to get up to the tower, grab the treasure, and teleport out, but the initiative was not in her favor. While she dodged a pair of Bone Darts, from the Necromancer's Apprentice, the Necromancers marksman's aim was true; hitting her with a bolt that brought her down to one HP. She hoped to be able to grab the treasure and make it far enough down the rubbled tower to be out of view, but before she could decide what to do, the Marksman shot again, and brought her down. Her limp body rolled down the rubble to the base of the tower.

Cherowyn falls. Her limp body laying at the base of the ruined tower; shot down by the Necromancer's marksman, just visible near the top left of the picture, by the hut.

In the valley near the hill, the wraith that had been triggered earlier, emerged from the hut and spotted Sister Elessa, and began gliding across the frozen ground towards her. Cadwalleter had made it to another hut, but just as he reached the door, the Necromancer's Man-at-Arms charged up and engaged him. Before the Necromancer's man could strike though, Sister Elessa, and Jack-2 the Treasure Hunter ran up to help their compatriot. The Necromancer's soldier didn't stand a chance against two skilled fighters and the thief, and quickly fell. Cadwalleter, turned and entered the house, and found that it wasn't haunted. So, he rushed in and grabbed the treasure.

A view of the table about a third of the way into the action. My warband is in the lower left.

While that was going on, the rest of Cherowyn's group had climbed up the hill, and prepared to try and retrieve the treasure she had lost. The Thug, Bash, was set upon by a Zombie, the's Necromancer's wardog, and another soldier of the Necromancer. He quickly dispatched the dog, and then the zombie. The necromancer's soldier fled at this point, as his warband found themselves having difficulties of their own, and his sword was needed elsewhere. The two archers took up positions and tried to fire on the Necromancer's thief who was now carting off the treasure Cherowyn had tried for; but their aim was off, and even though they each took two shots, only one hit. Linnese entered a house which stood next to the ruined tower, and grabbed the treasure as another wraith materialized on the far wall. Bravely, she stood and fought it while holding the treasure, and forced it back; buying her time to flee the hut and go over the edge of the nearby cliff, as she called to her compatriots to follow her. Seeing the tower treasure escape in the clutches of the Necromancer's thief, the two archers and Bash decided to follow Linnese, and they too ran and tumbled down the cliff face in an attempt to get out of view of the enraged wraith that had jus been triggered.

Battle on the hilltop. While Bash the thug takes on all comers (near the lower left of the photo), the archers Adel and Weiss (near the lower center of photo) try to shoot the Necromancer's thief (Near top center of photo, on ruins). Meanwhile, Linnese has entered a nearby house, (on the right) triggering another wraith.

By now, Kodak had had a long drink from the fountain, and was shocked at the wisdom it gave him (100 exp). He saw a treasure on the top floor of a distant ruined building and, perhaps a bit emboldened from his recent drink, attempted to teleport to it. The spell failed, and casting it removed his invisibility. Knowing this, he quickly tried to duck behind a building, only to find himself charged by the warhound of the nearby Elementalist. He easily wacked the dog with his staff, rending it lifeless. Wiping his brow with a sign of relief, he didn't notice the Elementalist's Dwarven crossbowman, with an enchanted crossbow, take aim. One well placed bolt and the Kodak fell. He lay in the snow motionless.

Kodak kills the Enchanter's warhound. Moments before being taken down by the Enchanter's crossbowman.

At this point Agamemnon the Thief had circled back around to the hut that Cadwalleter had first entered at the game's start. He managed to climb in over one of the walls, and grab the now unguarded treasure. With both the Wizard and Apprentice down, Elessa knew she was now in charge, and she had a hard decision to make. The first wraith that had been triggered was zeroing in on their warband, and she knew she had to throw herself in it's path to buy time for the two nearby thieves to escape with their treasure. Things took a turn for the worse, when a vampire appeared on the edge of the table near the exit zone the thieves were heading for; so they now needed to deviate less they attract it's attention. As the thieves dragged their heavy chests, the wraith struck at Elessa and she beat it back. The Templar took the opportunity to fall back, as the thieves made their slow progress, and once more the Wraith charged. This time Elessa's luck had run out. The wraith swung a mighty blow with its cursed sword, and the Templar was struck down, never to rise again; the life had all been drained from her. Her sacrifice had not been in vain though as Agamemnon, and Cadwalleter had both got their treasure safely away. And, Linnese, over by the cliff, had got hers off as well.

Elessa's last stand. The brave Templar stands defiantly blocking the path to the two thieves as they struggle to drag their chests off. The wraith stands just out of frame, on the upper left, ready to charge in. Bash, stands around the corner of the hut, guarding from any threat that might appear from that direction.

Back at the inn, Kodak had recovered from his injury, but he was inconsolable at the loss of Sister Elessa. She had been with him since the start, and a bond had grown between the Elven Illusionist and the devout Human. Cherowyn, was recovering from her wounds, and was a bit sore from her tumble down the ruins, but she realized that matters needed to be taken care of. So, while Kodak grieved, she set about sorting and counting the treasure. They had managed to get three chests away, which contained: 1) 50 GC and 2 potions (speed & healing). 2) 80 GC and a Grimoire of Elemental Shield. 3) 40 GC and a Horn of Destruction. With the Grimoire being from an opposed school, the Apprentice decided to store it in the vault for another time. As she returned from the vault, Cherowyn passed by Danlin, the marksman, who had survived his blast by the elemental bolt. She couldn't help but smile as he sat at one of the old inn's tables trying to get his hair, which now stuck out in all directions straight as arrows and slightly singed on the ends, to lay back down flat. She would let the wizard decide who to give the potions and the horn. Kodak had managed to gain 310 Experience points (2 spells, personally kill enemy soldier, drink form the well, and three chests).
Kodak wrote to Sister Elessa's Order to let them know what happened. Kodak knew that Elessa had had a twin who was a member of the same Order, named Riessa, and he thought she would want to know about her sister's bravery. Riessa insisted on coming to the city to talk with Kodak and learn first hand of her beloved sister's deeds, and ultimate fate. Kodak was taken aback at how similar Riessa looked to her sister; and while at first it unnerved him, he found Riessa to be much more outgoing and full of joy than her serious sister had been, and he gradually warmed to her. He came to a decision, and one night he offered to Riessa that if he made a sizable donation to her Order (100 GC) in her sisters name, would she consider joining his band and carrying on her sister's mission of bringing Light to the dark and frozen city. When Riessa agreed to his offer, Kodak had an order put out for a special magical sword (300 GC) to be constructed in Elessa's honor. A powerful two-handed sword with a +1 fight ability, to be named "Elessa" itself, in his friend's memory. He presented the sword to the warband's new Templar one evening after the night's meal, and she wept. Her tears falling on the shining blade, imbuing it with a sister's love.
Now that he was more himself, the wizard knew another change needed to be made if he was to stay competitive in the search for treasure. He sent off 80 GC for proper arms and armor for Bash, who had proven himself a true warrior; and Kodak bestowed upon him the title of Man -at-Arms.
And so the warband settled in a prepared for their next outing.. They've heard stories of a section of town containing several of the city's museums, where the statues on the grounds are rumored to come alive. Surely these ancient archives must contain items of great value. And there are tales of mighty worms that move under the ground feeding on the flesh of the dead and buried. Surely killing one of those would gain the wizard valuable knowledge. But for now, they must rest and regain their strength. Tomorrow was another day.

About Me

I've been a gamer since my high school days in the 70's. I'm married to Jennifer, and reside in Maryland. I am co-author, along with Buck Surdu, of "GASLIGHT" and several of its supplements, and "Look, Sarge, No Charts: WWII", and "LSNC: ACW". I also wrote the "Thunder & Plunder"; half of our Pirate rules, "Blood & Swash"
I am a founding member of the HAWKs wargames club.